Flowmeter



Feb. 17, 1942. w. ROWERDINK FLOWMETER Filed Oct. 8, 1938 v INVENTOR. mlh am Powerrdink 7 Wii 771 e r:

A TTORNEYS.

Patented Feb. 17, 1942 UNITED STATES" PATENT OFFICE FLOWMETER William Rowen-dink, East Grand Rapids, Mich; Application October 8, 1938, Serial No. 333,947

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to flow meters; and its object is, generally, to provide an improved instrument of that character whereby the flow of fluids and the fluctuations thereof may be accurately and constantly metered and indicated;

and particularly, to provide such a meter comprising a flow indicator and electric means governed by fluid pressures exerted by the flow operation is made more steady and uniform and the fluid flow more accurately indicated.

This and any other and more specific objects hereinafter appearing are attained by, and the invention finds preferable embodiment in, the illustrative structures and devices, mechanical and electrical, hereinafter particularly described in the body of this specification and illustrated by the accompanying drawing, in which the drawing is a view of one form of my flow meter, certain parts being shown in central section, and

its indicator shown in elevation, with electrical.

connections therebetween containing electrical instruments shown somewhat diagrammatically.

In the line of the flow of the fluid a valve structure is provided contained, as shown in a seat toward valve-seating position, but independent oradditional means for thus flexing the diaphragm are provided by the conicallyspiral spring 20 pressing between the diaphragm (i. e;

the member l2) and the inner (upper) side of the body's member 4.

The indicator 2| has a pointer 22 pivoted at 23 and a graduated scale 24 for indicating the fluid flow and fluctuations therein.

hollow body I comp-rising a cup-shaped member 2 into which the flowing fluid enters through an intake 3 and a cup-shaped member 4 from which the fluid passes through an outlet 5. l I

A rod or link 29 extends between the diaphragm (i. e. the member l2) and a movable conductor arm of suitable electric means for controlling the indicator by fluid pressures exerted by the fluid flow in the line.

Thermostatic bi-metal bars 30, 3| are mounted at' 32 below conductor spring 26 in the body I and at 33 in the indicator 2| respectively. An electric circuit includes said conductor arm 26, a battery 34, and the wire 35 which is coiled at 36 around the free arm 31 of bar 30 and around the free arm 39 of 'bar 3| for heating said. free arms by said coiled portions resistance to the current passing therethrough, the coiled portion 36 being connected to the contact point 44 carried by the free arm 31 or bar 30. A

The free arm 39 of the bar 3| is connected by a link 40 with the indicators pointer 22 for turning the pointer toward the right hand end of the scale by the expanding or straightening flexing of this bar (i. e. the movement of its free arm toward itsposition indicated in broken lines),

caused by the heating action of the wires coiled portion 38.

The flexing of the other bar 30 under heat is opposite to that of bar 3|, this bar 30 contracting when heated thus moving its free arm 31 downwardly, toward its Position shown in broken lines and from the movable conductor arm 26 viding the space in the body into chambers l 0, ll,

The diaphragm has an opening containing the hollow valve seat member l2 having a radial flange l3 engaging the diaphragms under side for sealingly clamping the diaphragm on said. 7

, portion I1 cooperating with the valve seat [8 of member l2 to progressively open the fluid passage l9 therethrough asthe fluid pressurein the (which in this formof said electric means is a spring arm mounted at 21) of a circuit opening (more-convex) layer 4| of bar 30 and the inner (more concave) layer 42 of bar 3| are of metal more responsive to the expanding action of heat than are the other layers of these bi-metal bars.

The heating and cooling of the thermostatic bars 30, 3| are so slow that, although slight changes in fluid flow are accurately and constantly indicated by the pointer which is very sensitivethereto, the movements of this pointer bars.

are made more steady by these thermostatic The action of the meter is as follows. As the fluid pressure in chamber 10 increases the diaphragm is thereby flexed downwardly to increas- 6 ingly open the fluid passage [9, and the rod 29 flexes the conductor spring arm 26 downwardly toward its position shown in'broken lines causing its contact point 43 to contact the contact point 44 of the wires coiled portion 36 carried by the 10 free (upper) arm 31 of the thermostatic bar 30, thus closing the electric circuit so that the wires coiled portion 38 heats the free arm 39 of the bar 3| and thereby turns the pointer toward the right hand end of the scale 24 of the indicator 2| 16 to indicate'increased flow of the fluid. If the flow through passage I9 be now constant, the positions of the diaphragm and of the conductor spring arm 26 remain unchanged; but when the heating of the wires coiled portion 36 flexes said 20 free arm 31 downwardly toward its broken line position, suiflciently to separate the contact points 43, 44 and thus open the circuit, this'free arm 31 cools and flexes upwardly, so that the points 43, 44 again contact thus again moving 25 the pointer to increasing flow indicating position. The points 43, 44 thus contact and separate intermittently, and frequently with considerable rapidity, for actuating the pointer to indicate the with a medial opening and a valve seat therein,

and having a valve stem with a conical valve end seating in the valve seat, the diaphragm belng movable toward valve-opening position by fluid pressure in the line; a oi-metal thermostatic bar 45 connected with the pointer; a second bi-metal thermostatic bar; an electric circuit comprising portions coiled around said bars respectively for heating and thereby flexing the same by the resistance of said coiled portions to the current passing therethrough, the flrst bar thus flexed turning the pointer to indicate increased fluid flow, the circuit including a contact carried by the second bar and a switch having an arm connected with the diaphragm and movable by increased fluid pressure into circuit-closing engagement with said contact for alternately energizing the circuits resistance portion coiled around the first bar thereby flexing the same to turn the pointer for indicating such increased flow, and energizing the circuits resistance portion coiled around the second bar thereby flexing the same to separate said contact from the switch arm.

2. A flow meter of the class described comprising, in combination: an indicator having a movable flow-indicating pointer; a valve structure in the' fluid line comprising a'stationary 1 valvestem and a flexible diaphragm extending across the line and having a medial fluid opening therethrough with a seat for the valve stem, the diaphragm being movable toward valve-opening position by fluid pressure in the line; a bi-metal thermostatic bar connected with the pointer; a

second bi-metal thermostatic bar; an electric circuit comprising portions coiled around said bars respectively for heating and thereby flexing the same by the resistance of said coiled portions to the current passing therethrough, the first bar thus flexed turning the pointer -to indicate increased fluid flow, the circuit including a contact 5 carried by the second bar and a switch having an arm connected with the diaphragm and movable by increased fluid pressure into circuit-,

closing engagement with said contact for alternately energizing the circuits resistance portion coiled around the first bar thereby flexing the 7 same to turn the pointer for indicating such increased flow, and energizing the circuits resistance portion coiled. around the second bar thereby flexing the same/to separate said contact from the switch arm.

WILLIAM ROWERDINK. 

